Outside Matters
by imawalrus
Summary: The Aburame’s were a close clan and they didn’t allow their own thoughts to be swayed by the villagers. More than that Shino had become a friend, and it was hard to remember there even was a demon in Naruto.


Aburame Shino on Naruto. He's a character that you don't see all that much about, even in the actual series, so I wanted to explore him a little bit.

-

Despite what the rest of the town thought the Aburame clan never took much notice of Uzumaki Naruto. The clan wasn't one to think the petty thoughts of the scared villagers and until Naruto gave any indication of being a threat, the Aburame's would simply regard him as any other villager.

-

"Father?" Shino stopped walking as he grabbed his father's attention. "Who is that boy?"

The boy in question was making faces at the old woman trying to chase him away from her stall.

Shino's father barely gave the boy a glance. "That is Uzumaki Naruto."

Young Shino didn't seem content to let it drop there. "Why is he so dirty?"

"He is an orphan. He has no parents to care for him." When it became apparent Shino was still unprepared to move. "He is no one of importance, Shino. He is another villager. When he becomes a problem or a friend you should then worry yourself over him."

At his father's insistent tug on his hand, Shino began to walk again. "I don't understand why kind Tanaka-san is being so mean to an orphan," he said more to himself than his father.

"Is it really any of our business?"

Shino didn't answer because his father was right. This was a matter outside of the clan, and therefore one he did not need to become involved in.

For the rest of the walk home he listened to the soothing sound of the kikai moving about.

-

While some of the other children taunted and laughed at Naruto, Aburame Shino, like the rest of his clan that he'd learned from, took no particular notice to the blond boy. Naruto wasn't a skilled ninja and he wasn't too smart. There was nothing special about Naruto (other than his dimwitted nature) that could merit any such scorn and teasing from the children.

Shino simply watched from the outside and ignored if he later saw the boy rubbing at his eyes from his spot against the wall.

-

Once again Naruto had failed spectacularly to perform the simplest of jutsus. Even though poor students like Kiba or Shikamaru had performed the bunshin no jutsu perfectly, even Naruto's bunshin would turn out disfigured and far from anything resembling himself.

Once again Shino had witnessed as Naruto was teased and pushed around by some of the meaner and older boys in their class. He noted absently as he passed by that Naruto's supposed friends, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Chouji, were all mysteriously absent whenever Naruto got cornered during lunch period.

Even though there were a number of students around everyone seemed to follow the same principles as the Aburame clan in that if it didn't involve them or their clan, then it was of no consequence to them.

Shino wouldn't find out until many years later that it was because the others enjoyed watching the innocent boy get beat up because they didn't have any courage themselves.

-

There would later come a time when Shino would be told that Naruto contained the demon fox even though he would have guessed something similar on his own years earlier. Shino's own body contained animals and the presence inside of Naruto hadn't gone unnoticed by Shino's own companions.

After years of working alongside Naruto, risking his life for the other boy and being saved in return, Shino didn't know if the knowledge could ever possibly make a difference at the way he saw the demon container.

-

Shino hadn't seen Naruto since he'd returned to the village nearly five months ago, but then a lot had happened. First he'd been away on a mission to Sunagakure, and then Kurenai had sent them on a mission. By the time they had returned from fighting Orochimaru's henchmen Naruto was back in the village and Sasuke was just waking up.

In the years after that Shino had been on numerous teams with Naruto and Sasuke as they were sent out to clean up the remaining Oto-nin.

He didn't even see the attack come as he was currently dealing with the two shinobi in front of him. As it was his body was tired from four days of travel followed by twelve hours of chase and another seven hours of fighting. The effects of the kikai were slowing him down and they couldn't be everywhere at once.

There was an unpleasant crunch to his left and as he risked the chance to look over he saw Naruto, much closer than before, with a kunai stuck in his shoulder. Shino realized the weapon had been meant for him.

"Consider this as thanks for earlier," Naruto reminded as he dispatched the one shinobi and threw himself at the other two. "Get some rest! Have Sakura give you a pill or something."

Later when Naruto came back to their makeshift camp where Sakura and Hinata were currently healing the few injured he had to be half-carried in by Sasuke.

"He's mostly exhausted I think," Sasuke said. "He used Rasengan a total of fifteen times, four in a row without pause, and his body has been continuously healing itself. By all rights he should be dead, but the Kyuubi chakra just kept healing Naruto's body."

Sakura nodded as she lay down a sheet on the bare ground. "Usually he heals when he sleeps, so much being healed so fast while he was awake and fighting was probably too much for even him."

"I am awake you know," Naruto grumbled. He pushed away Sasuke's hands as the Uchiha tried to bandage Naruto's arm. "I just wanted to make sure everyone else got here safely if they were injured. Worry about Shino," Naruto nodded towards him. "He was _way_ overtaxing himself. Those bugs of his were ready to drop dead because he was fresh out of chakra for them to feed off of."

Even though Shino didn't like having his weaknesses told, he found himself oddly grateful for knowing someone was so observant and cared so much. It would make him a good person to lead others when he cared about those under him.

-

He was an Aburame, and they didn't allow their own thoughts to be swayed by the villagers. But more than that Shino had become a friend, and it was hard to remember there even was a demon in Naruto, when all Shino saw was a strong leader, a caring Hokage, and a most of all a good, reliable friend.


End file.
